The ‘Sanditon’ story’s not over yet: Why it needs a 2021 renewal

Sanditon, which aired on PBS Masterpiece Theatre in the US, is in desperate need of a second season. With its UK home channel, ITV, declining a second season, fans are desperately and valiantly looking for a new home for the needed second season of Sanditon, better known to English lit nerds as Jane Austen’s unfinished novel. 

Brought to life by Andrew Davies (House of Cards), Sanditon follows Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) who goes to the small seaside resort town of Sanditon. She gets drawn into the web of secrets and schemes of the town inhabitants, especially that of the Parker family and the frustrating Sidney Parker (Theo James). 

After an eight-episode first season, ITV elected not to renew Sanditon for a second season. Given that the first season ended on a cliffhanger with Sidney admitting his love for Charlotte, but agreeing to marry the wealthy Eliza (Ruth Kearney) to help his family’s fortunes. 

Seeing as how that’s not really how Jane Austen’s stories ended, fans are desperate for someone to pick up the second season to end the story properly. Here are a couple reasons why Sanditon needs to be saved.

To be true to Jane Austen

Jane Austen died with only 11 chapters of Sanditon written. Davies and his team have clearly tried to keep an Austen like spirit in bringing it to the screen. As any fan of Austen worth their salt will tell you, it’s not a Jane Austen story without a happy ending. By a happy ending, we mean that Sidney and Charlotte end together in some fashion.

After all, Sidney and Charlotte deserve the same happy end as Elizabeth and Darcy, right? Since Austen couldn’t complete her novel, then don’t we owe it to her to see it completed in some format? With a happy ending between the lovers and all’s well in the end?

Charlotte and Sidney forever, seriously

Fans have been swooning over the slow burn romance of Charlotte and Sidney from the word go. The two truly make a spectacular team together and the chemistry between Williams and James is just off the chart. Everyone cried out when the two admitted their love, but Sidney still went to Eliza because of his duty.

How will they end up together in the end? What is the plan to bring these two who are so perfect for each other together? Sanditon may have had an ending, but it’s not the ending that the show’s creators nor the fans want for it. Even if a place just picks it up for a wrap up movie or something, it deserves to end for the sake of the characters.

Hope triumphs

Finally, in these difficult times, we have to admit that the Sanditon ending showed be done in order for a more hopeful conclusion. Yes, the cliffhanger was a sad one to witness, but, as we said, Austen’s stories are full of love and hope. In these times, hope should be at the forefront of the media being put out.

The reason that Sanditon should be saved is that it’s a period drama that could add a bit more of that Austen belief in love and happy endings in the world. The ending with Sidney and Charlotte together deserves to be told to give people who love the series so much that bright spot that they deserve.

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